A Canadian traveler who spent nearly a week living inside Mérida’s Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport finally caught a flight home this week, thanks to intervention from a local nonprofit organization.
Raoul, whose last name was not disclosed, had been stranded at the airport for five days before a representative of Yucatán Giving discovered his situation and arranged his departure.
“There was in fact a very kind and gentle man down on his luck living in the airport for the past five days, not two months as social media is saying,” Kimmy Suki wrote in a Facebook post on December 26. “I spoke to the National Guard about his case, and they said that he had no way to leave or resolve his situation.”
The case drew attention after reports circulated on social media claiming the man had been living at the airport for nearly two months. According to local media reports, authorities confirmed his presence but said he had only been there for one to two weeks at most. Airport cleaning staff had been discreetly providing him with food and drinks during his stay, and he charged his phone in the restaurant area.
National Guard officers monitoring the airport confirmed they were aware of Raoul’s presence. He had no immigration issues preventing him from leaving Mexico. He simply lacked the funds to purchase a ticket home, including baggage fees.
After spending two hours reviewing his case, Suki secured flights and arranged for his departure. The total cost came to just under 6,000 pesos (approximately $300), covering airfare, travel money, and additional fees.
“I know there will be so many questions of the why’s and how’s, but to be honest it doesn’t matter and it isn’t any of our business,” Suki wrote. “We have all at some point needed a little humanity to find us. At some point we have all needed a stranger to care.”
Raoul reportedly showed up at the airport wearing a threadbare coat and carrying minimal belongings. Suki described him as peaceful and grateful for the assistance.
Cases of stranded travelers living in airports are not unprecedented. In 2022, a Canadian woman spent several days at Cancún International Airport after missing her flight and running out of money. Similar incidents have occurred at airports worldwide, often involving travelers who face unexpected financial difficulties or miss connecting flights.
Mexico’s busiest airports, including those in Cancún, Mexico City, and Guadalajara, occasionally see passengers who become temporarily stranded due to flight cancellations, financial issues, or documentation problems. While airport authorities typically work with consular services to resolve such situations, the process can sometimes take days.
Yucatán Giving, the organization that assisted Raoul, focuses on humanitarian aid throughout the peninsula. The group accepts donations to support similar emergency cases.